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Pumpkin Sticky Buns
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we wanted to share a recipe that makes a great dessert. While it is a long one, it is well worth the time.
Dough:
¾ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature.
Caramel:
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup soft brown sugar
4 Tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
6oz pecan halves
Filling:
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk to around 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour the warm milk into a bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the milk and allow it to foam (5-10 minutes).
2. Add in the flour, salt, pumpkin puree, spices, and egg. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until thick dough forms.
3. Add in the softened butter and keep mixing on medium speed for 10 minutes until the soft dough is smooth and strong and it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
4. Once kneaded, form the dough into a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a lid, damp cloth, or beeswax wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Roughly chop up pecans with a sharp knife and set them aside. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
6. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt until the butter and sugar have melted. Give it a good stir.
7. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to gently spread it out. Top it with the chopped pecans.
8. Punch down the risen dough and pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.
9. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 12x18-inch large rectangle. Spread the dough with the softened butter. Evenly sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar filling. Roll the dough up from the long side into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
10. Place the slices on top of the pecans and caramel. Let them rise in a warm spot until double in size.
11. Preheat oven to 350. Bake the buns for 25-27 minutes until they are a deep golden brown. If they are browning too fast, you can cover the top of the buns loosely with aluminum foil. While they are baking, lay a piece of parchment paper on a large tray. This is what you will tip the sticky buns onto once baked. When the buns have finished baking, remove them from the oven and carefully invert them onto the parchment paper-lined tray.
12. Let the buns cool for 20 minutes before pulling them apart and serving. Leftover sticky buns can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.